R.I.W Wrestling Legend: Vampiro

Posted on October 21, 2025 by bloodlinematt

Welcome back to Rotten Ink. We once more find ourselves at the Rotten Ink Arena for a spooky “R.I.W Wrestling Legend” update event as the Halloween season is a perfect time to take a look at horror themed wrestlers that scare and entertain fans, and who better to be in the main event than Lucha Libre legend Vampiro who has been a big draw in wrestling since the early 1980’s and is still around to this day. As you can see, the Arena has spooky decorations all around and they have vampire’s blood punch and creepy crawler finger sandwiches at the snack bar, so let’s grab a cup and find our seats as this is going to be one hell of a great event and I can not stress enough that this time of the year not only makes me think of horror films and horror hosts but also horror video games, horror novels and horror themed wrestlers, and I am very much looking forward to this update event as I have always been a big fan of Vampiro. But as you can hear, the music has started, so let’s find our seats and see what Vamp has in store for us this Halloween season.

Vampiro started his Pro Wrestling career in 1984 and was trained by Abdullah The Butcher. He would work as a jobber in International Wrestling out of Canada and would be in the business at the age of 16. He worked for International Wrestling from 1984 to 1991 before being signed to CMLL, the biggest promotion in Mexico at the time, and would then get the name Vampiro Canadiense. From the start, due to his look and being a vampire character, his popularity grew very fast and would become one of the company’s big stars. He would have big bet matches (Hair vs. Hair) as well as would take on some of the companies top stars like Perro Aguayo, Pierroth Jr., Blue Panther and Fuerza Guerrera, to name a very few. Vampiro, no matter if he was a Tecnico or Rudo, was being cheered by the fans and was building a strong female following. During this time as well he would work a few matches for Universal Wrestling Association as well as promotions in Japan. In 1996 he would leave CMLL and work for AAA and IWRG before returning to CMLL in 1998 for another brief run. During this time in CMLL, Vampiro would also start his real life feud with Konnan, who was one of the company’s top stars. This rivalry would continue off and on for many years and was about the popularity of both Luchadors as well as Vampiro being cast in a soap opera that was supposed to go to Konnan. His work in CMLL as well as appearing from other federations started to also get the attention of many American companies.

In mid 1998 Vampiro would make his way to WCW and would not fully become part of their roster until 1999 when he was booked as a heel and would be in a group called “The Dead Pool” with Raven as well as Shaggy 2 Dope and Violent J, better known as rappers ICP and would have a small run together going after Konnan, Rey Myserio Jr. and Eddie Guerrero. From there Vampiro would turn baby face as he would have matches against Berlyn and his bodyguard The Wall, and from there he would feud with Dr. Death Steve Williams and would team with the punk rock band The Misfits. During this time as well Vamprio would have matches in WCW against other luchadors as well as solid mid-card workers and was getting over with fans in America who liked his brawling style and his horror themed look and attitude. In 2000 his biggest feud in WCW would take place as he would find himself teaming and then turning on Sting. The two would have all types of matches and Sting would even be set on fire by Vampiro who at this point had joined the group called The New Blood that was being run by head booker Vince Russo and would be the younger wrestlers of WCW who were sick of the legends that made up the main events and locker room. Vampiro would once more team with ICP and this time add The Great Muta to his group that would be called “The Dark Carnival” and he would go after The Demon and his lady Asya, that is until The Demon would join his twisted group and Vamp and his crew would continue to feud with Sting. Through the rest of 2000 and into 2001 Vamprio would find himself winning Tag Team Gold (the only title that he would hold in WCW) with The Great Muta as well as just floating around in odd feuds, including one with Mike Awesome. In 2001 WCW was bought by WWE, and they closed the company’s doors and Vampiro’s contract was not picked up by WWE, and this ended Vamprio’s time in WCW.

After the closure of WCW in 2001, Vampiro would head back to CMLL and as well would work for many other companies all over the world. While back in CMLL he would be a big draw and would be used for big matches and PPVs and would mostly have him teaming with Shocker. He would also work matches for All Japan Pro Wrestling at this time and would do only a one month tour. He would also in 2002 go to Puerto Rico and work for World Wrestling Council and would even during his short time there, capture the company’s Universal Heavyweight title. He would also appear in XPW off and on from 2001-2002 and would work a small run for Impact in 2003 where he would feud with Raven. But still during this time his main federation was CMLL, and he would have matches against many Lucha Libre stars like Atlantis, El Rayo de Jalisco Jr., Lizamark Jr., Super Crazy and Dr. Wagner Jr. But his run in CMLL would come to an end in 2005 as he would leave to join Mexico’s best promotion.

In 2005 Vampiro, as well as many other Luchadors, would leave CMLL to go work for AAA and would work for them off and on for years as even up to this update’s posting he can be found in AAA doing events and appearances for them. In 2007 he would leave AAA to work a very small run for CMLL before leaving them for good, but also that year he would work for Wrestling Society X, a short lived promotion that was produced by MTV, and in 2008 he would returns to AAA as well as to XPW again, and this would start his run on working for the indies with one of his two big runs being for Juggalo Championship Wrestling (JCW) where he would become that company’s World Champion around three times. He would also work for Lucha Underground starting in 2014 and would stay with them until they closed up in 2018 and was a part time wrestler and a commentator. During his run in JCW, he would work with such wrestlers as Mad Man Pondo, The Powers Of Pain, Colt Cabana, Kongo Kong and 2 Tuff Tony, to name a few, and in Lucha Underground he had a iconic match with Pentagon Jr. that is considered one of the best matches in the promotion and that’s saying something. But over time Vampiro has slowed down working matches due to age and mounting injuries, but even that has not fully stopped him. Vampiro is a great worker who bonded with his fans and should be in both the AAA and WWE Halls Of Fame as he has truly made a big impact in the sport of Pro Wrestling. Over the decades Vampiro has been in movies, video games and music videos, has had his own bands, been made into action figures and has graced all types of other cool merchandise. And who knows were and when Vampiro will pop up next and who he will face in the ring.

I first found out about Vampiro when I was a youngster as his CMLL action figure for some reason was at a local Dollar Tree store, and he captured by attention as it was clear he was a mix of Luchador with Horror and Rock n Roll, and these were all things I was a fan of! B efore he made his way to WCW, I can remember seeing some of his matches on grey market tapes and I became a fan as I liked his mix of Luca Libre as well as Brawling American style. I should also mention I remember him being in many of the wrestling magazines that my brother and I had growing up. But when he came to WCW in the late 90’s is when I truly became a mega fan and have followed his career ever since. I mean he is the reason I made sure to watch Wrestling Society X on MTV when it aired. For me the thing about Vampiro is that he could have great matches against the cruiserweights but could also be a main event guy and be booked in matches against the top stars of the promotions he was in. I also find his history in AAA and CMLL very interesting as he had the reputation of being a pain to deal with and because he was a draw, they allowed him to get away with his behavior. I also find his real life heat with Konnan interesting, and I am glad that they two seem to have buried the hatchet as they are both icons and both deserve all the fame they have worked for in and out of Mexico. Vampiro also over the years has been very outspoken about his time in wrestling and has spilled the beans on wrestlers like Sting, El Canek, Paul Heyman and others for their behind the scenes behavior. He has also lead a very interesting life from being a bodyguard for pop group Milli Vanilli, to being involved in the occult and secret societies, having evil spirits that follow him around causing him to have to have a exorcism, dated many Latina models, hosted a show about the paranormal in Mexico, toured the world with his bands, worked as a wrestling booker and so much more very cool and unusual stuff. And while over the years much of what he says has been questioned by others, with many fellow wrestlers calling him out for his injuries and illnesses he says he has, I for one still find Vampiro to be a very entertaining guy who is a great worker and a cool personality that always makes him stand out in the world of Pro Wrestling.

We are now at the point of this review where we will be taking a look at the DVD set and review some of the matches on the discs like always between 4 to 8. But because this is a set about a Luchador, we will take a look at 10 matches. I want to thank Coliseum Of Wrestling & Boxing for having this set in stock and also want to thank Vampiro for his hard work in the world of wrestling. I also want to remind you that I will only be breaking down randomly select matches from this set and will be breaking down the match and will be rating the matches on a 5 Star rating system. I also only choose from Single matches as I want to break down his matches that showcase his style. Here is what the stars mean ½ Means a really terrible match, * Means a bad match, ** Means a below average match, **1/2 Means a good average entertaining match, *** Means a good match, **** Means a great match, ***** Means an epic match. So if you are ready, let’s step into the ring with Vampiro.

Best Of Vampiro

Match 1: Vampiro vs. Konnan

As Konnan plays up to the crowd on the microphone Vamprio attacks him from behind with a big clothesline that drops him to the mat. Then as Konnan tries to get up Vampiro unloads a series of kicks and then keeps his attack up on the injured Konnan who is struggling to get on his feet and make a comeback. Vampiro even climbs to the top rope and flings himself onto his opponent and then keeps kicking and stomping on him. At one point Vampiro points his finger into the face of the injured Konnan to talk smack as it’s clear these two have an issue that has carried over from Mexico to WCW. But when Vampiro misses a top rope splash, this gives Konnan a moment to catch his breath and unload some big punches and to make his comeback to take the momentum of the match for a moment. Konnan even hits a power bomb and gets a two count on Vamp. He then hits a DDT and is still only able to get a two count as the fans are really getting into this match. Konnan then hits a face buster, and Vamp rolls out of the ring. Konnan follows and the two start brawling. Vamp then grabs a chair and throws it at Konnan, and the referee has seen enough and DQ’s Vamp giving the win to Konnan by disqualification. After the match, Vamp continues to attack Konnan before leaving the ring. This is a great grudge match brawl that has both guys hitting some big moves and both clearly just want to hurt each other as they have great chemistry in the ring, and they are really telling a story of hatred, jealousy and history. Konnan, as always, does a fantastic job of selling as well as pulling off powerful looking moves as he gives a in my opinion very underrated clothesline as they look strong and like his opponents head might be knocked off. Vampiro is very quick in the match and his very aggressive and his anger comes out in his actions and makes him come off as a badass. Over all this is a great short match that helps build Vampiro as a heel and shows just how popular Konnan was in WCW.

Grade: ***1/2

Match 2: Vampiro vs. Steve “Dr. Death” Williams

Before the match starts, Williams’ manager Oklahoma is locked into a cage, and as Williams makes his way to the ring Vampiro jumps from the cage onto him taking him down with a surprise attack. Vampiro continues to attack outside the ring and is using his speed to keep his bigger and stronger opponent down. Once they get into the ring, Vamp continues his attack and uses punches, kicks, head butts to keep Williams injured, but then after a few moments Williams starts to make a comeback and the two exchange hits. Williams ends up hitting a series of football tackles to the knee of Vampiro, weakening him and then gets him into the corner and uses him as a punching bag. Williams misses a corner charge and this allows Vampiro to go on the attack once more and even hits a big backdrop on Williams that gets him a two count. But like before, the two end up just trading hits and holds, and Williams even hits a massive suplex from the top rope. At one point the punk rock band The Misfits, who are in Vampiro’s corner, try to get into the ring, and Williams takes them all down. But Steve Williams makes one big mistake when he attacks the refereem and this causes him to lose the match via disqualification, and by winning the match Vampiro gets five minutes in the ring with Oklahoma after Williams is forced to the back by security. This is pretty much a brawl that allowed Steve Williams to show off his power and for Vampiro to show off his skill, and while their styles clashed a little, they still did a great job of trying to make each other look good by selling hits and holds as well as each tried to showcase what makes them top stars. Oddly enough, this match was one of Williams last for WCW. Vamprio does a great job of using his speed and moves throughout the match to keep the heat on Williams, who in turn does a great job of hitting massive power moves that look very stiff and impactful. Over all this is a good match that featured two of my favorite wrestlers at the time. While it was not a smooth match, I would not want it any other way.

Grade: **1/2

Match 3: Vampiro vs. Juventud Guerrera

As the bell rings, Vampiro and Juventud start shoving each other, and then Vampiro floors Juventud with a kick. The two then exchange some chops before Juventud is able to take him down with his speed, but he is stopped when Vampiro hits a big power bomb and even gets a two count for it. Vampiro takes control of the match and uses big moves to keep Juventud grounded. Once they take the fight to the outside Juventud is able to hit a big dive that floors Vampiro. But once they get back into the ring, it’s the power of Vampiro that takes back control, even hitting some loud and powerful chops and at one point works over the knee of Juventud. Both guys fight back and fourth and each miss a high risk move, but in the end Juventud is able to hit the Juvi Driver on Vampiro and this gets him the win via pin. This is a pretty fast paced match that allowed both guys to take control of the momentum and for the most part they try and tell a good story in the ring. Their styles mesh well for the most part with Juventud doing his highflying moves and Vampiro doing a mix of Lucha and power moves. The fans in attendance also seemed to be into the match, and while they are on the side of Juventud, they also cheer Vampiro when he hits big moves. While some of the moves during the match clearly had some miscommunication moments, it really is a fun TV bout that showcased two great Lucha Libre stars who are now both legends. Plus I have to say that I was surprised when Juventud was able to get the win as he hit a perfect Juvi Driver.

Grade: ***

Match 4: Vampiro vs. Great Muta

As soon as the bell rings, Muta attacks Vampiro as well as ICP who are the mangers of Vampiro at the time, but as Muta sprays his green mist into the air Vamprio attacks him from behind and then unloads some chops before hitting a top rope spin kick. Vampiro tries for a top rope move and fails, and this gives Muta that chance to fight back against Vampiro and uses his speed to hit some impactful moves as well, Muta works over one of Vamp’s arms and uses his kicks to keep the momentum. Vampiro fires back with a Rock Bottom and is able to get a two count, but when Muta hits a moonsault, he is able to get the three count and win over Vampiro. This was a very cool match up that sadly WCW did not give lots of time when they really should have. These two worked very well in the ring together, and they both have a similar style that each made their own and putting them against each other just worked well. Muta is able to show his fast paced moves as well as why he was one of the best in the world to hit a moonsault as they are so smooth. Vamprio in the match does a great job of selling for Muta and as well does a great job of mimicking him in movements. This match should have been given more time as what little time these two had in this match was great stuff, and the fans in attendance clearly were behind Muta. Plus I would have loved to seen Muta hit Vampiro with the green mist. Over all a short but very cool match that should have been more.

Grade: ***

Match 5: Vampiro vs. Sting

This is a House Of Pain Steel Cage Match (the rules are you have to shackle both of your opponents hands to the cage) and at the start of the match, Sting climbs to the top of the cage and the fans go wild. Vampiro waits for him inside it, but Sting uses his baseball bat and busts out a section of the cages roof and drops in and attacks Vampiro and even hits him with a Stinger Splash in the corner, Then the two start brawling with each man throwing the other into the cage and exchange hits and holds. But when Vampiro gets the advantage, he tries his best to hurt Sting as the fans boo as clearly they want Sting to win this match, but Vamprio just keeps using his speed and kicks to chop down the Icon Sting. The tide once more changes when Sting hits a power bomb on Vampiro, who was leaping from the top rope for a drop kick. Sting hits a series of moves, and as Vampiro is dazed, he is able to shackle him to the cage and get the win. As Vampiro is handcuffed to the cage Sting beats him up some more and then leaves the cage as Vampiro smiles even though he lost the match. This is a very strange and sadly way too short of a match between these two as the idea of the two being locked in a cage with no referee and no rules was a great idea, but sadly the match pretty much was rushed as Vampiro dominates the start of the match and when Sting gets the advantage, it’s only for a short time and a small amount of moves before he locks Vamp up and gets the win. The other odd thing is that the winner was supposed to beat the heck out of his shackled opponent, and Sting hits a few splashes and leaves, and this is billed as these two hating each other. The top rope power bomb is the most impressive move of this match. While the match is a little of a letdown when it comes to action, the two have great chemistry in the ring, and they tell a good story that has the fans going crazy and for that I myself found it pretty entertaining.

Grade: **1/2

Match 6: Vampiro vs. Scott Steiner

As soon as the bell rings, Steiner uses his power to get Vampiro into the corner and unleashes punches on him. He then hits a big suplex and then press slams and drops Vampiro to the mat. Things are looking bad for Vampiro until he changes the tide with a big boot to Steiner’s face, and then he is able to land some hits of his own including his fast kicks, but Steiner is not down for long as he fights back and lands a powerful dropping elbow onto the chest of Vamp. Scott then tosses Vamp out of the ring and goes out after him throwing him against the guardrails as well as hits him with a chair and finally slams him on the commentator’s table and breaks it. Vamp is hurt but starts fighting back and even slams a chair over Steiner’s head. Then the action goes back into the ring as the two brawl with each other and even Steiner’s female mangers enter the brawl when Vampiro grabs his blowtorch and gasoline can and threatens to set one of them on fire until Sting comes out and smacks him in the head with his bat and then beats him with that bat all the way back to the ring where Steiner hits Vampiro with a belly to belly suplex and then makes him tap out to the Steiner Recliner, and with all that madness Scott Steiner is the winner. This is the clash of styles, and yet it worked very well in this match that pretty much is a brawl that is to showcase the power of Steiner as well as the crazy nature of Vampiro who tries to set a female on fire during the match. Oh and they also showcase his fast kicks. It’s crazy that the match did not end by DQ as they both smack each other with chairs and Sting shows up and beats the hell out of Vampiro with a bat. Over all a crazy match that for some reason just kind of worked in its madness.

Grade: **1/2

Match 7: Vampiro vs. Hulk Hogan

Vampiro attacks Hogan as soon as he gets in the ring and keeps up his attack even knocking Hogan out of the ring and then goes out after him and throws him into the guardrails as well as even hits Hogan with a chair. But Hogan shrugs it off and fights back and even smacks Vampiro with a chair several times returning the favor. Hogan keeps up his attack all around the ring and even once back in the ring, he starts hitting Vamp with his weightlifting belt and then starts choking him with it. Then Hogan keeps up his attack even dropping elbows, and the fans are going crazy for The Hulkster. Hogan even hits his Leg Drop finisher but does not go for the pin instead he just keeps on attack Vampiro, and this allows Billy Kidman to come out and hit Hogan in the back of the head with Vamp’s blowtorch. Kidman then drags Vampiro over to Hogan, and he gets the three count and the win via pin. After the match Vamp and Kidman are about to try and set Hogan on fire when Sting comes to his aid and runs off Kidman, and they then beat up Vampiro. This is another cluster match that is pretty much a brawl between Vampiro and Hogan that has Vampiro winning the match and Hogan for the most part dominating the momentum of the match. The match is just a sloppy brawl, but is entertaining because the fans in attendance are really into it and Vampiro does a great job of selling for Hogan. Plus for those who are Hulkamaniacs, you do get to see Hogan hit his finisher the Leg Drop. Over all another mess of a match that is over booked and yet was a fun watch as it was cool to see Vampiro in the ring with Hulk Hogan, and the right wrestler even won the match. And I have to point out that Hogan clearly does not know how to deliver chair shots and even at times throws some very odd punches. AKA this match reeks of Vince Russo as it’s over booked and is more of a “shoot brawl” then a wrestling match.

Grade: **1/2

Match 8: Vampiro vs. Van Hammer

As the match starts Van Hammer uses his power to slam Vampiro hard onto the mat, but then Vamp uses his speed to arm drag Hammer to the mat showcasing that he is just as strong. Vamp uses his speed to keep hitting moves on Hammer and even kicks him out of the ring and then dive out onto him. The two brawl on the outside with Hammer getting the better of the exchange and even once back in the ring Hammer keeps up his attack even hitting some big kicks and then gets him into the corner and unloads some big punches. Hammer continues to keep the momentum on his side and even tosses Vampiro from the top rope and then chokes him with the middle rope before the referee steps in. Once Vampiro is able to make a comeback he hits some thunderous chops as well as a headbutt and some quick kicks. Hammer is able to use his power to once more up his attack and even tries to hit big power moves, but Vamp is able to roll him up but the pin attempt is stopped when Hammer gets his foot on the ropes. The two exchange hits and holds until finally Van Hammer puts Vampiro into a chin lock and holds it for awhile, with this rest hold the loose the fans who go quite. After the hold is broke the two trade back and fourth again and then finally Vampiro gets the win via pin with a rollup. This is a odd matchup as it’s clear that Vampiro is slowing himself down in order for Van Hammer to keep up, and at first it seems that the fans are into the match but after Van Hammer’s rest hold as well as very awkward moves they loose them slightly. Vampiro does what he can with the stiff Van Hammer and is able to get a good match out of him. Vampiro is clearly the star of this match as he uses his kicks and moves to bring the impact to the match, and to be fair Van Hammer is really trying and does hit some passable power moves. Over all this is a standard match for TV and does a great job of building Vampiro, but it also is a little to long as it should have been around two minutes shorter as it was clear Van Hammer was slightly struggling to keep up.

Grade: **

Match 9: Vampiro vs. Ric Flair

The match starts off with the two of them trying to size the other up and then Vampiro is able to use his speed and takes Flair to the mat and is working over his knee, the hold is broke when Flair is able to get to the ropes. Vamp keeps using his speed and hits a pair of clotheslines and then a backdrop and this causes Flair to exit the ring to try and catch his breath. But even once back in the ring Vampiro keeps control of the match and even hits some very hard chops to Flair who he has backed into a corner. But Flair cheats and pokes Vamp in the eye and then puts him in the corner and lands some big chops, but after a big spin kick Vamp takes back control but losses it again when he misses a top move attack and this gives Flair the chance to work over the leg and knees of Vampiro, Flair keeps up his attack and even kicks Vamp in the stomach when he is down all the while the fans are cheering “Flair Sucks”. Vampiro is clearly hurt and Flair keeps up his attack working over his leg as well as getting cheap shots in when he can. But just as Vamp is about to make his big comeback Miss Elizabeth and Lex Luger make their way down to ringside and as she distracts the referee, Lugar hits Vamp with a baseball bat and this allows Flair to lock in the Figure Four and get Vamp to tap out. After the match both Flair and Lugar attack Vampiro. This is a really good match and both guys look great throughout the match and I have to say Flair does an outstanding job of making Vamp look like a main event star! Flair sells great for Vamp and also makes him look strong by having to cheat in order to win. Vampiro is able to show off his moves and speed and really does hold his own against a legend like Ric Flair. The two have great chemistry, the fans are really into the match and adding Lex Luger and Miss Elizabeth into the match makes it seem more epic as well makes Vampiro really look like a contender. A great match that I really enjoyed from start to finish.

Grade: ****

Match 10: Vampiro vs. Lex Luger

Lugar at the start of the match uses his power to back Vamp into the corner and then smacks him across his face, Vamp responds with his speed and delivers a kick and a chop that knocks Lugar to the mat. Vampiro keeps the heat on Lugar and gets him in the corner and chokes him before flinging him across the ring and keeps up his attacks and does not let Luger get a chance to get the match going for his side. When Luger finally gets the momentum going its because he cheats and then is able to hit a very powerful back drop and it’s his turn to keep the attack up and even press slams Vampiro just to show that he is the strongest in the ring. Vampiro is able to escape a Torture Rack attempt and makes his comeback on Luger with his speed, kicks and top rope movies. But Ric Flair comes down to the ring and Vamp has to fight them both off and when the referee’s back is turned, Lugar’s manager Miss Elizabeth hits Vamp in the back with a ball bat and this allows Lugar to get him in the Torture Rack and Lugar wins via submission. This is another case of Vampiro taking on a wrestler who is the opposite of his style that some how just works and delivers a very entertaining match. Vampiro has the fans behind him for this one and is able to really show off his speed as well as impactful moves that Lex Lugar goes a great job of selling and making Vamp look like a rising star in the company. And on the other side Vamp as well does a great job of selling and allowing Lugar to show off his power and strength and sells for him really well. The match is a good back and fourth with each guy getting their time to take control of the match and it also has a good ending that has Lugar having to cheat and get the help of his manager and friend in order to win the match. While the match does not have any show stealing moves it is a very cool match that’s interesting to see as these two pit against each other.

Grade: ***

Vampiro is a true legend in wrestling and as you can see that during his run in WCW he took on most of the companies biggest stars from Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Sting and so many others and was able to have great matches against them all showing that he could adapt to any style. I really do not think that Lucha Libre nor Pro Wrestling will ever have another like Vampiro as his attitude, style and personality can never be duplicated. And to me he is one of the best at being a horror themed wrestler, and he has always involved his look and style to the times and places he was working showing that he has a very creative mind. But as you can see, the house lights have came up and our spooky R.I.W update event is over so that is our cue to head to the exit doors, but before we do that let me tell you that our next update will take us to Willy’s Wonderland that rundown closed restaurant that houses killer flesh eating animatronics…won’t that be fun! So until next time, read a comic or three, watch a wrestling match or two and as always support your local indie wrestlers. See you next update, and let’s hope that Willy is not on the prowl as it will be the big Halloween update and he might be in a nasty mood.

R.I.W Wrestling Legend: Crypt Keeper

Posted on August 4, 2025 by bloodlinematt

The Halloween season is almost upon us, and as you can see, we are once more here at the Rotten Ink Arena for a spooky “R.I.W Wrestling Legends” update that is sue to chill your blood as well as gross you out as today’s subject is a hardcore death match wrestler who is truly a horror themed wrestler as his name is The Crypt Keeper (or Crypt The Keeper), and he is based on the Tales From The Crypt host of the same name. He terrorized the federations of Japan, and now he is the main event update for this countdown to Halloween update. So let’s head to the snack bar and grab some witch’s punch to drink and maybe some candy corn to munch on, and then let’s get to our seats as I can hear his sinister laugh echoing all around and that’s the sure sign that this event update is about to start. Try not to get to scare.

Jose Estrada Jr. started his Pro Wrestling career in 1986. Hould work for World Wrestling Council (WWC) in Puerto Rico as Super Medico III and would team with his father Super Medico I as the Super Medicos, and they would even capture the company’s tag team titles. In 1991 he would find his way to Japan and would start working for FMW as Jose Estrada Jr. and would have hardcore street fights against the likes of Atsushi Onita, Tazan Goto and Ricky Fuji. Jose would also go back to working under the Super Medico III for a short time in FMW as well as in WWC where he would be apart of a tag team called Solid Gold. But in 1993 he would become the wresting horror grappler named Crypt Keeper who wore a TV show Crypt Keeper mask as well as a skeleton mask. He would work for WING and became a hardcore wrestler who did death matches and would have battles with Jason The Terrible, Crash The Terminator, Leatherface, The Headhunters as well as Shoji Nakamaki. During this time as well Crypt Keeper would also make small stops in Mexico even working for CMLL. And in 1994 he even would even return to work some matches in Puerto Rico. Crypt Keeper quickly became a heel that fans feared and opponents knew that they would be involved in a brutal match. In 1995 Crypt Keeper would start working for more federations in Japan including IWA and BJW as well as would work small shots in America as well as more matches in Mexico’s CMLL and would wrestle against the likes of El Canek, Arlantis, Dos Caras, El Rayo de Jalisco Jr., El Dandy and Silver King. In 1996 he would head to FMW and become one of the company’s biggest heel stars and was considered a draw and would also start working for them under the ring name Halcon Negro and would start using that name more often from them. In 1997 he would have a house show tryout match for the WWF losing to Miguel Perez, and when working for FMW at the time he once more changed his name to Black Hayabusa. And while he worked under many names and gimmicks, his most well loved in Japan was Crypt Keeper.

Jose Estrada Jr. would then leave Japan and head to WWF to become a member of the Savio Vega lead group Los Boricuas and would feud with The Nation Of Domination as well as The Disciples Of The Apocalypse starting in mid-1997. His run with the WWF would mostly see him teaming with his stable mates Jesus Castillo, Miguel Perez and Savio Vega, and they would have matches against the likes of The Legion Of Doom, The Head Bangers and The New Age Outlaws. And while Jose Estrada Jr. would get some wins, he and his fellow Los Boricuas members found themselves falling down the card and racking up more losses. During his solo matches in WWF he would lose matches against the likes of Goldust, Edge, The Godfather and El Hijo Del Santo (on the short run show WWF Super Astros), and by late 1999 Jose would be out of WWF and find himself retired for a few years. But around 2001 he started working the indies around the world again and would work as The Crypt Keeper again off and on for many hardcore matches. Today while he is pretty much retired, he can from time to time be seen at conventions. Over his years as a wrestler he would capture some gold mostly in Puerto Rico but would be a two time WING World Heavyweight Champion. He is not in the WWF Hall Of Fame, and sadly I do not think he ever will make it in.

I was a big fan of FMW when I was a teenager and one of the wrestlers that stood out to me was Crypt Keeper as he was a brawler who wore a HBO Tales From The Crypt mask (or sometimes just a skeleton one) and would team and even fight the other horror themed wrestlers in the company in matches like barbwire, coffin and death matches. And when Crypt Keeper would cackle and laugh he became even more awesome to me as it added to his creepy, spooky persona. You could see that he was trying to do something a little different with his version of the character and this was also seen in his wrestling attire as it was very baseball themed and made him standout, but I will also say I liked when he would also wear the back suit. And like many masked wrestlers, during his run some knock off wrestlers using the gimmick popped up and worked the indie’s around the world pretending to be him or just straight up stealing the gimmick. While Jose Estrada Jr. was a good worker in the WWF during his run, I have to say I enjoyed his time as Crypt Keeper way more as I found it to be way more interesting. And I know that he was not as hardcore as most of the other horror themed wrestlers of that time, but dang it, he was an entertaining one who seemed to get into scaring the fans as well as being as “hardcore” as he could get in the ring. From the first time I saw Crypt Keeper in the ring, I always thought it would be cool to see him join the WWF and have a run against The Undertaker as it would have been great to have him pop out of a coffin and go after Taker with a barb-wired baseball bat! I mean Crypt Keeper could have fit well into the Attitude Era and could have been a great addition to the Hardcore Division. While the Crypt Keeper gimmick didn’t last all that long in the world of wrestling, it did leave its mark and was the best thing Jose Estrada Jr. did in wrestling in my opinion as I find it very memorable.

We are now at the point of this review where we will be taking a look at the DVD set and review some of the matches on the discs, like always between 4 to 8, sadly I only have 3 solo matches of his on my best of DVD. I want to thank HyperDevil for having this set in stock and also want to thank Crypt Keeper for his hard work in the world of wrestling. I also want to remind you that I will only be breaking down randomly select matches from this set and will be breaking down the match and will be rating the matches on a 5 Star rating system. I also only choose from single matches, as I want to break down his matches that showcase his style. Here is what the stars mean ½ Means a really terrible match, * Means a bad match, ** Means a below average match, **1/2 Means a good average entertaining match, *** Means a good match, **** Means a great match, ***** Means an epic match. So if you are ready, let’s step into the ring with Crypt Keeper.

Best Of Crypt Keeper

Match 1: Crypt Keeper vs. Keisuke Yamada

As the bell rings, Keeper is the aggressor and starts hammer Yamada with hits in the corner and then hits a clothesline as well as some well places stomps and repeats this attack in another corner until Yamada is able to escape his attack and with a backslide gets a two count and then starts beating up Crypt with hammering hits and knocks him out of the ring and then dives out on him. Once back in the ring Yamada remains in control even locking a step over toe hold on Crypt trying to get him to tap, Crypt gets to the ropes but still takes a beating for a bit by Yamada the two start smacking the hell out of each other until Crypt makes a mistake and finds himself in a arm lock on the mat, and like before once out of the move Yamada keeps up his attack. The fans are clearly behind Keisuke Yamada as they cheer him on as Crypt Keeper rolls out of the ring to shake off the butt kicking he has been getting, and once back in he continues to get beat up on that his until he is able to hit a big boot and a running bulldog, and now Crypt is in control, and goes for many pin attempts. Crypt keeps Yamada on the mat and works over his limbs trying to get him to quit and even trying to get the quick pin. The two once more exchange punches and moves Crypt hits a massive power bomb and it did not keep Yamada down, nor does a top rope fameasser. But after Crypt Keeper hits a power slam he is able to get the win via pin. This is one of those odd matches from Japan that has bursts of hard hitting impactful moments that is then slowed down with rest holds and it makes for a fun and yet some what dragging match. Keisuke Yamada looks good in the match as he is in control for most of the match and even comes of aggressive and his chops are loud and brutal looking. Crypt Keeper hits some really hard hitting moves but does not showcase his more hardcore death match style moves. The two’s chemistry was a little off and at times the match come off a little botchy in spots, but the live fans seem to enjoy it and even with those moments its an average entertaining match.

Grade: **1/2

Match 2: Crypt Keeper vs. Jason The Terrible

This is a spiked nail death match that pits two horror themed wrestlers against each other! Crypt attacks Jason as he is making his way to the ring and the two fight into the fans and Crypt knocks off Jason’s hockey mask and rams his face into the bed of nails and tries to push the nails deep into the flesh of Jason, and does it again as Jason starts to bleed. Once in the ring Crypt keeps the beating up and tries to knock Jason out of the ring and onto the bed of nails. Jason fights off the attempts and while he is getting beat up he just keeps coming after Crypt who is clearly the more aggressive of the two this far and keeps trying to toss Jason out and onto the nails. When Jason finally gets the upper hand he as well tries to toss Crypt out of the ring and onto the nails and both at this point are using mostly brawling moves to do so and from here the two go back and fourth with taking the momentum and failing to toss the other onto the nails. Jason during this time does hit some big choke slams that get’s the fans to pop. And it’s Jason who is finally able to knock his opponent onto the bed of nails as Crypt lands hard on them after being knocked out of the ring and with that Jason wins the match. This was a very slow paced Spiked Nail Death Match as most of the time is spent with them trying to toss or kick the other out of the ring and onto the nails, and besides a few cool movies like the choke slams from Jason and the fameassers from Crypt the match is pretty much just punches, kicks and stomps and I know that is pretty normal for these types of matches but at times these two seem like they are moving in slow motion. The match also only has Jason bleeding and it’s a shame that the hockey mask is removed right from the start as it takes a little away from this monster vs. monster match. Over all an ok death match that sadly was nothing that special, and it did seem the live fans did enjoy it for the most part.

Grade: **

Match 3: Crypt Keeper vs. Shohji Kakamaki

This is a coffin match where you have to get your opponent into a coffin for a 10 count. As soon as the bell rings Crypt Keeper goes on the attack and rips at the injured head of Shohji and starts kicking him in the head and causes him to bleed. Crypt keeps up a fast paced attack landing a big power slam and then tossing him into the coffin, Shohji escapes and goes after Crypt who takes big head butts that rock him. Shohji takes him outside the ring and beats Crypt up in front of the fans with punches and knees and Crypt fights back with a chair. Once back in the ring Crypt is now in control and with a laugh he pile drives Shohji into the mat and back into the coffin he goes for a nine count, Crypt makes him pay for getting up with a big drop kick. Crypt beats him up some more and back in the coffin Shohji goes for once more a nine count, this angers Crypt even more who turns up the beating and power bombs him onto the coffin lid before tossing him back into the coffin and letting out his trademark laugh. Shohji cannot escape the coffin this time and looses the match given the big win to Crypt Keeper. This was a very entertaining coffin match that for the most part had Crypt Keeper in charge and allowed him to pull off some basic and yet impactful moves like his drop kick, power bomb and pile driver, and while being dominate most of the match he still allowed Shohji to look like a fighter and even sold really well for him. The coffin was made of very cheap pressed wood and from the moment it comes into the match it is falling apart, and this added to the enjoyment of the match. The fans in attendance also seemed to really be into the match and cheered and clapped when needed and my favorite moment of the match is the pile driver due to not only it looking impactful but also the fact that Crypt Keeper is doing his crazy laugh! Over all this is a fun match and while not the best coffin match I have ever seen it is one that entertained me lots.

Grade: ***

The Crypt Keeper was a wrestler that scared the fans as he would cackle with evil laughter as he attacked his opponent with his violent brawling style, and while in America he never did find his place, in Japan he was a feared mid-card heel who could draw. And while WING and FMW were his home federations, I will say it again, it would have been great if they would have brought him in to the WWF as this gimmick and not just a generic henchman for Savia Vega in the team Los Boricuas, as I feel a feud with The Undertaker and or Kane would have been great…or even making him a member of the Ministry Of Darkness back in 1998 as this masked menace could have been great alongside The Brood, Viscera, Acolytes and Mideon as he cackled his way into the feud with The Corporation. But the lights are flickering and the Jack-O-Lanterns are blown out, so that is our cue that this spooky update event is over and it’s time for us to head out of the Rotten Ink Arena, but before we head out into the cold night air I would like to tell you that the next update will take us to the world of cheesy horror films as we will be talking about Sharknado 3! So until next time, read a horror comic or three, watch a wrestling match or two and as always support your local wrestlers. See you next update as the sharks are flying and the chainsaws are revving.

R.I.W Wrestling Legends: The Zombie (ECW)

Posted on September 13, 2024 by bloodlinematt

Welcome back to the Rotten Ink Arena. As you can see, Xmortis and his crew are starting to hang Halloween decorations, and they are serving a spooky Ghost Punch as well as a pork brain sandwich at the snack bar as tonight, as we countdown to the Halloween season, we have a creepy “R.I.W Wrestling Legend” update event for you. If you look around the arena tonight, I am sure you have noticed all the ECW shirts and signs as our main event features a strange character that haunted Extreme Championship Wrestling for one night only back in 2006. I am talking about the horror themed wrestler The Zombie or also known as The ECW Zombie! So let’s grab cup of Ghost Punch and a pork brain sandwich with extra hot sauce and find our seats as the casket music is playing and that can mean only one thing, The Zombie is here!

The Zombie made his debut in 2006 at the first ECW show under the ownership of WWE, and he was in the first match against The Sandman! The fans did not know how to take this shuffling, dirt covered undead wrestler who once in the ring would grab the microphone and grunt with anger. Most fans seemed to be confused and even laughed at The Zombie. And after his loss, he disappeared from ECW…but this was not his final match as The Zombie would find himself working the indies mostly in the New Jersey and New York area and would become a big draw and even a fan favorite as people would pay to see him wrestle. The Zombie would play up his undead gimmick for the fans and even would scare kids a little with his spooky appearance. He would work for companies like Pro Wrestling Syndicate, National Wrestling Superstars, Victory Pro Wrestling and Warriors Of Wrestling to name a few. He would have matches against names like Jason Static, Salvatore Sincere, Danny Demanto and The Boogeyman and would mostly be on the winning side of the matches. While The Zombie would not capture any titles during his run, he did capture the respect of the fans. The Zombie’s last match would be in 2014 as he would be in a six-man tag match for Victory Pro Wrestling. Say what you will about The Zombie, he took a very brief silly spooky ECW appearance and made it work on the Indies.

Tim Arson was the man who was the ECW Zombie. He started his career in 2001 and was trained by Johnny Rodz and worked the indies federations like USA Pro Wrestling, New York Wrestling Connection and Impact Championship Wrestling, and while working the indies he would find some success and would start building up a fan base. During his early days he would have matches against such names as Kid Kruel, The Rednecks From Hell, Grim Reefer and Damian Dragon. But in 2005 Tim would head to WWC in Puerto Rico and truly find his calling in the ring as he would rack up some big wins as well as would have some big matches including one against Sabu and would even capture the WWC Tag Team Titles with partner Rico Suave in 2006. In 2006, he would also work a match for WWE against Matt Striker that would air on WWE Heat. This is also when he would be the ECW Zombie in his one and only ECW appearance. After his brief micro run in WWE, he would head back to WWC and would stay there until around mid 2007. During this time he would head back to America and would work for many indies under his name as well as The ECW Zombie and would even go back and work in Puerto Rico. While never a big star, he was a solid worker and really did get the respect from fans who watched him, and yes Tim mostly worked as a heel. On January 7, 2015 at the age of only 38 Tim Arson passed away of an undisclosed clause.

The Zombie is a wrestler who clearly was booked in ECW for one match to get beat up, booed, laughed at and put into the match really so the company could prove a point to the Sy-Fy Channel (that was airing ECW) who wanted more Horror and Science Fiction wrestlers on the roster, that those type of gimmicks didn’t have a place in ECW as it was the house of Extreme…well a watered down WWE version of Extreme at least. And while The Zombie was supposed to be a throw away and forgotten, he is still talked about and remembered to this day showing that he at least made an impact! You have to give Tim Arson lots of credit as he took what would have been a bad gimmick and embraced it and made it work on the indies and by all accounts turned it into a fun wrestler who built up a fan base and brought horror to the events. I can remember when The Zombie appeared on ECW and can remember flashing back to the old days of the WWF and when The Zombie would have been a foe that was going after The Undertaker, and thinking wow, this is really cheesy and yet I did wish he would have stayed around a little while in ECW as a jobber to the stars. I really do like the idea The Zombie worked for years in indie federations in New York and New Jersey and got himself over with the fans who really would pay to see him wrestle. Not much more to say besides its cool that Tim was able to become The Zombie due to a wrestler that was supposed to play a martian no showing and Paul Heyman coming up with the wrestling zombie idea. I also liked the fact that he would cover himself in dirt so when he was hit or slammed a cloud of dust would come off him looking like he had just come out of the grave…nice touch and it’s a shame that The Zombie is no longer with us as it would have been cool to see him work some indie matches here in Ohio as well as seen him tour the conventions. And just in case any one was wondering, yes, I have an autograph picture of The Zombie that I bought second hand that hangs in my living room. Oh and I also need to say I like that on his debut, they do show two kids in the crowd who seemed to be a little scared of The Zombie.

We are now at the point of this review where we will be taking a look at the DVD set and reviewing some of the matches on the discs, like always between 4 to 8. I want to thank B-Videos 101 for having this set in stock and also want to thank The Zombie for his hard work in the world of wrestling. I also want to remind you that I will only be breaking down randomly select matches from this set and will be breaking down the match and will be rating the matches on a 5 Star rating system. I also only choose from single matches, as I want to break down his matches that showcase his style. Here is what the stars mean: ½ means a really terrible match, * means a bad match, ** means a below average match, **1/2 means a good average entertaining match, *** means a good match, **** means a great match, ***** means an epic match. So if you are ready, let’s step into the ring with The Zombie.

Best Of The Zombie (ECW)

Match 1: The Zombie vs. The Sandman

The Zombie makes his way to the ring and cuts a growling, grunting promo and is cut off by The Sandman who makes his way to the ring via the crowd guzzling beer the whole way as well as smacking his own kendo stick against his head. Once in the ring and the bell rings, Sandman beats Zombie with the kendo stick over and over and then uses it to Russian Leg Sweep the undead wrestler to get the three count and win the match via pin. This is 100% a squash match as The Sandman just uses the kendo stick to beat the hell out of the Zombie and then use one move to put him away, and the poor Zombie does not even get to land one move and just takes the beating. Not much of a match at all and is pretty much just a way to get The Sandman even more over with the WWE now owned ECW fans. The Zombie sells well and the dirt dust that poofs off of him during the beating was a nice touch. Over all a throwaway match that is just to showcase The Sandman and his brawling style.

Grade: *

Match 2: The Zombie vs. The Equalizer

After the bell rings the two lock up and The Equalizer is able to knock Zombie back into the ropes and the after they break apart Equalizer smacks him across the face. The Zombie is mad about this and responds with a massive spear that takes Equalizer to the mat, the two roll outside the ring and exchange some punches and The Zombie even starts biting the head of Equalizer who breaks free and runs around the ring with Zombie following close behind. Once Equalizer rolls back into the ring Zombie tries to follow but is greeted with stomps and the Equalizer takes control of the match and lands a big side slam and only gets a two count. Zombie then bounces off the rope and hits a back elbow that floors Equalizer and then the Zombie hits a press slam. Equalizer rolls out of the ring to catch his breath as the Zombie paces the ring and once outside the Zombie grabs a board and starts hitting Equalizer with it and around the ring the two brawl and Zombie even uses a chair and continues to even once back in the ring. After a low blow and a bulldog headlock Equalizer turns the tide and puts down thumbtacks that backfires as both he and Zombie go into them. The two brawl some more and Zombie misses a moonsault from the top rope, and Equalizer then misses a top rope move and this allows Zombie to grab a chair and leap and twist from the top rope with it and get the win over Equalizer via pin. The match is pretty slowed paced and is a weird brawling hardcore match mixed with Zombie hitting some pretty good classic style moves, and while his press slam was a little sloppy, it still was nice to see him get to work in a match. Both wrestlers brawl and do their best to try and get the fans into the match, and at times it’s clear the two did not have good chemistry together as many moves and moments just seem a little off. Not much more to say besides it was cool seeing two ECW guys from different eras having a match in a small indie federation. Not a great match but also not the worst I have seen and if you are a fan of either wrestlers, it might be one that piques your interest.

Grade: * ½

Match 3: The Zombie vs. The Musketeer

Before the match even starts, Musketeer does not want to get into the ring with the Zombie but is forced into the ring and the match starts and Zombie throws Musketeer across the ring and then hits a back body drop and then a few big clothesline and even a dropkick and gets a two count. The Zombie then chases Musketeer’s manager to the back, give Musketeer a moment to shake off the attack. The Zombie comes back out wearing a Musketeer hat and when the referee tries to get him back on track The Musketeer attacks the undead superstar from behind and starts stomping him on the mat and keeps the pressure on him even hitting a strong clothesline, but the Zombie makes his short comeback with a back elbow but is stopped when Musketeer hits a jawbreaker and tries to get Zombie to summit with a chin lock, Zombie gets out of the hold but is rolled up and Musketeer gets a two count, Zombie then fires back with some moves and gets a two count himself. Musketeer misses a move and racks himself as his manager enters the ring and attacks Zombie who knocks him away and then starts biting the head of Musketeer and once more his manager tries to save him and this causes the referee to DQ Musketeer and this gives The Zombie the win. This is a strange and basic style match that mixes in a dash of comedy wrestling, and while no major moves are used the basic stuff Musketeer and Zombie do looks good and makes for an entertaining match. The Musketeer does a great job of selling for The Zombie and acts like he is in major pain when hit. Not much else to be said about this match besides it very basic and fun for what it is, and I would have rather had a clean finish then the DQ is the major flaw with the match.

Grade: **1/2

Match 4: The Zombie vs. Boogeyman

Before the bell rings Boogeyman spits on the Zombie and the fans are grossed out by this, and as the bell rings the two stare at each other and Zombie rolls out of the ring as he does not have a game plan yet on how to attack Boogeyman who meanwhile is shaking all around the ring as the young fans in the crowd chant his name and then he throws worms into the crowd. The Zombie then attacks Boogeyman from behind and lands some big forearm smashes to his back and neck, Boogeyman fires back with some kicks to the gut of Zombie and then tosses him out of the ring and then stalks the Zombie who walks around the ring looking for brains. As they both get back into the ring Zombie catches Boogeyman and starts stomping on him and then bails out of the ring when Boogeyman starts making his comeback. The two start exchanging hits and moves outside the ring and even fight up the bleachers and Zombie even bashes Boogeyman with a trashcan who in turn does the same thing back. Zombie then uses a chair on Boogeyman trying to inflect as much damage as he can, but he misses his big shot and this allows Boogeyman to start beating the heck out of Zombie who is trying to crawl away and then like before the two exchange hits and trade the momentum back and fourth and this continues when both get back into the ring. Boogeyman ends up winning the match after he hits a choke slam that gives him the three count. This is a gimmick match as both Monster Themed wrestlers play up to the fans and mostly brawl to the delight of the young fans who are 100% behind Boogeyman and are eating up this match. Both guys pretty much just punch, kick, stomp and hit each other with objects the majority of the match and both guys for the most part do a great job of selling for each other and work around each others limitations and understand each others gimmicks. Some of the outside the ring brawling is hard to see as the crew did not have the proper lights to make it work. Over all a silly and fun match that did what it was suppose to do and that’s entertain the viewers no matter how sloppy and basic it was it did just that. Also Boogeyman makes Zombie eat worms after the match and them brings kids into the ring to dance like him.

Grade: **1/2

Match 5: The Zombie vs. E.J Risk

The Zombie chases E.J around the ring as the fans cheer as the bell ring E.J lands a few punches but Zombie shrugs them off and then tosses him across the ring and no matter how hard E.J tries The Zombie has an answer for his moves, but after trying to leave the match in fear and being forced back in he pulls the ropes down on the Zombie who tumbles out of the ring and E.J goes out after him and starts his attack and even continues to hit his moves once they make it back to the ring and hits a shinning wizard that knocks the undead wrestler out and this allows him to flip with a corkscrew elbow onto Zombie causing even more damage. E.J misses a splash in the corner and Zombie takes this chance to rack him on the ropes and lands a swinging neck breaker. And E.J tries to make a comeback but is cut off by Zombie who slams him into the turnbuckle and then hits a spine buster after an Irish Whip into the corner, E.J cheats with a low blow behind the referees back but after a failed top rope movie E.J is caught and Zombie hits his finisher the CKO and wins the match via pin. This is an okay match but sadly is riddled with botches mostly from E.J Risk as it seemed that the two had a very old chemistry together as at times the match was smooth while others it was a little rough. But with that said the fans seemed to really be into the match and were behind Zombie who they wanted to see win the match. I have to give E.J credit as well as he does his best and does pull off some impressive moves and even does a great job of selling for Zombie. Meanwhile Zombie wrestles his normal style that is a mix of basic moves and brawling tactics and like before it has a dash of comedy wrestling thrown in. Over all this was an okay match that brings an entertaining match to viewers and showcases that while the Zombie was limited in his own gimmick he still got fans hyped and behind him.

Grade: **

While The Zombie is not the most scary or skilled of monster-themed wrestlers in the business and when working many of the indies he had a big kid following who cheered him on, he still made his mark in pro wrestling just for being in the first match for ECW when WWE took over. I do want to once more say, it’s a shame that Tim Arson aka The Zombie passed away at such an early age. Well as you can see, the fog has dissipated and the house lights are now on so that is our cue that this update is over with as the clean up crew is now out sweeping up the dropped candy corn and the spatter of the pork brain sandwiches that made their way to the floor. As we make our way to the exit, I want to let you know our spooky countdown to Halloween 2024 continues as we will next be chatting about the 1943 Bela Lugosi classic Ape Man, that’s right, from a wrestling zombie to half ape human! So until next time, read a horror comic or three, watch a horror-themed wrestling match or two and as always ,support your local wrestlers. And see you next update for a creepy From Horror Movie To Horror Comic update.

R.I.W Wrestling Legend: The Texas Hangmen

Posted on March 13, 2024 by bloodlinematt

Welcome back to Rotten Ink. As you can see, we find ourselves once more at the Rotten Ink Arena as we have another “R.I.W Wrestling Legend” update event planned and this one will feature a tag team that mostly made a name for themselves in Puerto Rico but did have a good run in the AWA and while they did not last that long as a team, they did capture some gold and built up a reputation of being a brawling, rough and tough masked menacing team…and this team is The Texas Hangmen and as you can see, they are the main event for this update. So let’s head to the snack bar and grab a drink and some chili to snack on and then find our seats as this will be a quick and hard hitting update event.

The Texas Hangmen was a masked outlaw cowboy team that started working together around 1988 in Windy City Wrestling under the names Hangman # 1 and Hangman # 2 and could not find their groove mostly losing to more established teams before leaving the company and finding their new home in the AWA that they started working for in 1989 and found some more traction and started going under the names Psycho and Killer. They worked matches against the likes of The Guerrero Brothers, The Tokyo Bullets and John Nord and Scott Norton. They were hated heels and fans loved to boo these brawling masked men who would challenge for the AWA Tag Titles but never could win them. The Hangmen would stay in AWA until around 1990 when they went out of business. The Texas Hangmen then traveled to Puerto Rico to work for WWC and would become a big team that feuded with many of the company’s top teams and stars from The Medics, The Invaders and even Carlos Colon. The Texas Hangmen would also capture the WWC Tag Titles twice during this run and would stick around until 1991 before returning to the states to work for USWA. Once in the USWA, they found themselves a top team for the company and would quickly capture the Tag Titles as they beat Jeff Jarrett and Eddie Gilbert (who was filling in for Jerry Lawler). But even being the Tag Team champions, Texas Hangman were being booked very oddly as they ended up losing to many of the companies top stars at the time like Bill Dundee and Steve Keirn. They would stick around USWA for a short time and would break up for a time and would get back together for one last run in WWC in 1997 that would have them win the company’s Tag Title and by the end of the year The Texas Hangmen were no more. While The Texas Hangmen never made it to the big companies like WCW and WWF, they did make their mark in AWA and WWC and would find their marks later when they disbanded. I should say a version of The Texas Hangmen had a small run in WCW as a jobber team.

Frank Vizi was the wrestler behind the mask of Psycho and he was trained by Tom Stone and started his Pro Wrestling career in 1984, and is known as Bull Pain, a wrestler who worked for ECW, WCW and JCW. He would end up retiring in 2012 and was a mid-card heel that fans loved to hate. Mike Morgan was Killer, and he started his Pro career in 1982 and was trained by Jake Milliman and Rocky Stone and would best be known as Mean Mike, a member of the WCW tag team Disorderly Conduct, and part of a similar team called Texas Hangmen that were a jobber team. He would as well retire in 2012. While The Texas Hangmen or even Disorderly Conduct are not household names, and Bull Pain is only with diehard ECW fans, these guys made their mark in the world of Wrestling and over their careers had captured titles as well as did a great job of entertaining fans all over the world. At this point The Texas Hangman are not in the WWE Hall Of Fame, and I doubt if they ever do make it.

In the late 80’s and early 90’s Tag Team wrestling was very big and teams like the Road Warriors, Demolition and The Powers Of Pain were the ones that brought fans into arena as they had a look of face paint, flashy gear and a badass wrestling style that made them feel like true tough guys and like they could snap their opponents’ necks. I feel like The Texas Hangmen are a team that traded the face paint for masks, as well traded in the apocalyptic fashion for western gear and used names like Killer and Psycho to show that they meant business. They also would bring out nooses to show that they truly were Hangmen as I can remember them getting a little heat from people when they used the nooses to hang and choke Invader # 1 and this single act is what made them big names in Puerto Rico and made them feared by fans as they came off as true madmen. Growing up I remember The Texas Hangman from the AWA and seeing them on ESPN and wondering why they were not working for WCW as their look and style would have fit right in and they could have had some great matches with the likes of Steiner Brothers, Road Warriors and even Doom. The crazy thing to think about is that as a team they only stayed together for a few years and when disbanding the team the each tried to make their own paths in the business, and while they both did find small amounts of success I would have liked to seen them stick together and try to make runs in WWF, ECW, CMLL, New Japan and WCW. They are also a team that I am pretty sure got their gimmick stolen as Texas Hangmen or teams with similar looks and names would pop up in small indie federations. Another very interesting thing about The Texas Hangmen is that their background as a team is very all over the place with many saying the started in AWA and others saying it was for the smaller indies before landing in AWA, but one thing is for sure they were a entertaining team that I would love to see have a match at Rock Star Pro Wrestling in Dayton, Ohio against a team like The Hooligans or even The Bad Dudes.

We are now at the point of this review were we will be taking a look at the DVD set and review some of the matches on the discs like always between 4 to 8. Sadly on a side note I could only review 3 full matches. I want to thank HyperDevil for having this set in stock and also want to thank The Texas Hangmen for their hard work in the world of wrestling. I also want to remind you that I will be breaking down the match and will be rating the matches on a 5 Star rating system. Here is what the stars mean ½ Means a really terrible match, * Means a bad match, ** Means a below average match, **1/2 Means a good average entertaining match, *** Means a good match, **** Means a great match, ***** Means an epic match. So if you are ready, let’s step into the ring with The Texas Hangmen.

Best Of The Texas Hangmen

Match 1: Texas Hangmen vs. Carlos Colon & T.N.T

The Texas Hangmen and Carlos and T.N.T start brawling before any of them even get in the ring and the fans are going crazy as they keep throwing punches all around as it’s clear that these teams have a hatred for each other. Carlos even rips one of the Hangman’s mask as he is trying to make the masked man bleed with big punches. T.N.T gets one of the Hangmen into the ring as Carlos rams the others head into a plate as the ring is set up in the middle of a baseball field, once they all get back to the ring the match becomes more of a normal tag match and Carlos and T.N.T take control of the match landing hits, holds and even using what looks like a fork on the heads of The Texas Hangmen. For a short time the Hangmen make a comeback but it quickly turns into both teams brawling and they take it outside the ring again and the match it thrown out as the two teams keep on fighting and even the locker room empties to try and break them up. This match is pretty much mostly a brawl with both team just exchanging punches and kicks in and outside the ring and the fans were really into this match as it was clear that they love Carlos Colon and T.N.T as for most of the match they are in charge. The match also has blood and The Texas Hangmen prove that they are brawlers and can take a beating and dish out a beating and still seem like contenders. The match ending in a brawl and being thrown out was very fitting as it was clear that fans would come back for a rematch between these two teams. Over all, while it’s nothing super special when it comes to moves, the story they tell in the ring as well as the chemistry between the two teams is good and that is what makes this match a great watch.

Grade: ***

Match 2: Texas Hangmen vs. Invader # 1 & T.N.T

As soon as the two teams get into the ring they start brawling, and Invader even takes one of the Hangmen out of the ring and uses a chair on him and is delivering big punches while in the ring T.N.T is beating up on the other Hangmen and these beating continues for a while even at one point T.N.T chokes one with a belt and Invader smashes the other over the head. The teams end up taking the brawl into the ring again and it turns into a normal tag match with each team exchanging holds and mostly punches back and fourth. The referee ends up getting knocked out, and The Texas Hangmen try and use their bull rope to hit Invader # 1 with but T.N.T saves him for a moment, but one of the Hangmen uses the rope to choke Invader who is in deep trouble. The match is thrown out as The Texas Hangmen leave the ring and head to the locker room as T.N.T and Invader # 1 pose for the rabid cheering fans. This is another brawling match that pretty much follows the same formula as the last match that is pretty much the baby face team brawling with the heel team all around the arena as the fans cheer and once they get it back into the ring the match goes back and fourth and in the end a brawl erupts and the match ends with a no contest. No big moves are thrown, the brawling looks great and the hanging spot looks good as his the reversal of the hanging. Over all just another brawl that is entertaining and both teams look good throughout the match. The fans in attendance are really into this match as well, and I am not sure but at one point I think a fan throws a smoke bomb around the ring…a wild match.

Grade: ***

Match 3: Texas Hangmen vs. Invader # 1 & Bronco # 1

The Texas Hangmen are the tag champions, and as they head to the ring, they taunt the fans who really hate these guys. Bronco # 1 has seen and heard enough and goes out after him and gets them both in the ring and Invader # 1 starts dealing out some punches. When the Hangmen roll out of the ring, they return only to taunt the fans some more. And every time the match is about to start and Invader # 1 gets any momentum the Hangmen roll out of the ring. Once the match really starts Invader and Bronco take the momentum and use fast tags to keep the match in their favor, Bronco even works over one of the Hangmen’s arm as the fans cheer, but shortly after The Hangmen take control of the match and use their brawling style to cause pain. The two teams then take turns going back and fourth with momentum and several times Invader # 1 tries to go for the pin but it’s always broken up by the other Hangman. But after a big punch Invader # 1 is finally able to get the win via pin and the fans go wild as they have just won the Tag Titles. This match starts off way to slow and I get that The Texas Hangmen were getting heart from their taunting and slowing down the action, but when watching at home it sadly comes off bland and uninteresting. But while it starts off not great, I think the match speeds up slightly and the tag team chemistry between Invader # 1 and Bronco # 1 was good as they did fast tags and used double team moves to keep their two monster heel opponents down. The Texas Hangmen are doing their normal brawling style, but also use lots of rest holds throughout the match. The finish is a little odd as well as such a simple move ends a title match. At times I also have to point out that when Bronco # 1 would do off the rope moves he seemed very awkward and stiff. But much to say besides it was an ok match between four skilled workers that the fans seemed to be into for the most part, I was entertained but was also slightly bored at times.

Grade: **1/2

The Texas Hangmen was a pretty cool tag team that worked all around the world and clearly was big draws as heels in Puerto Rico as the fans really did seem to hate them. And it really is a shame that they never got a full chance to show their talents in one of the two major companies WWF and WCW as I really do think they could have been a solid mid-card heel team that could have helped put over the companies top baby face teams as well as get win over some of the mid and lower card ones. Teams like The Texas Hangmen are a product of the past as you just don’t see teams like them on TV anymore. But as you can see, the matches are over and the house lights have came up and the cleaning crew are out so that’s our clue to leave and as we make out way to the exit doors I would like to tell you that our next update will take us away from the squared circle and back into the world of Western themed media as we will be talking about the iconic cowboy Red Ryder and his comic books as well as his B.B. Guns! So with that until next time read a comic or three, watch a wrestling match or two and as always support your local wrestlers. Oh and remember the phrase “You’ll Shoot Your Eye Out Kid” as Red Ryder and it go hand and hand.

R.I.W Wrestling Legend: Cowboy Bob Ellis

Posted on March 13, 2023 by bloodlinematt

Welcome back to another “R.I.W Wrestling Legends” update that is taking place here at the Rotten Ink Arena. As you can see, this update has a Texas theme as our subject for this update was a true legend and major draw in the Lone Star State and was also the man who created the legendary wrestling move the Bulldog! And this wrestler is Cowboy Bob Ellis, a true Icon of wrestling who was a fan favorite his whole long career who sadly does not get the coverage nor recognition he should. So if you are ready, grab yourself a beer and maybe a steak sandwich from the snack bar as its time to talk about this Texas wrestling icon that was one of the most popular Cowboys in wrestling for decades.

Cowboy Bob Ellis started his wrestling career in 1957 and was trained by Ed Lewis and Sandor Szabo and was a major star almost from the start and started wrestling for the NWA territories in the Texas area. He was known from the start as being the protégé of one of his trainers Ed “Strangler” Lewis and it help boost his statues on the cards as he was super skilled and was a great talent in the ring. And because of his popularity he was booked for many NWA territories like Stampede Wrestling, Central States Wrestling and even the AWA! And because the fans loved him, he was a major draw when his name was on the posters and they would come and pay to see him in action. Cowboy Ellis was a skilled wrestler who would wrestle a technical style and yet could also brawl with the best of them, and he looked liked an actor from the Western shows on TV and this made him popular with the ladies. During his time in wrestling, Cowboy Bob would win many titles and would be booked in big matches against the likes of such names as Buddy Rogers, Fritz Von Erich, Dick The Bruiser, Bob Geigel, Mighty Atlas, Angelo Poffo, The Sheik and Killer Kowalski to name a few. Ellis would create his own finishing maneuver that would be called the Bulldog, a move that is still used by many wrestlers to this day! Bob Ellis would even wrestle in World Wrestling Council out of Puerto Rico and like everywhere he wrestled, he was a draw for them. After a very long career that lasted decades Cowboy Bob Ellis would retire from in-ring action in 1982. All through his career, Ellis was respected and loved by fans, and as of this posting Cowboy Bob is still alive and is in his 90s! While never on the same level as a Ric Flair, Buddy Rogers, Hulk Hogan, Nick Bockwinkel or Bruno Sammartino, Cowboy Bob Ellis was a workhorse who was skilled in the ring and was dependable, was a draw, was loved by fans and did it all while wearing his cowboy boots.

The strangest thing about Cowboy Bob Ellis is that he very much is a true legend of Texas Wrestling and is also the man who invented the move the Bulldog so you would think his name would be used more often when fans and promoters talk about the legends of the sport and it’s a shame that Ellis is not even in the WWE Hall Of Fame yet as he should at least be apart of the Legacy inductions. Cowboy Bob Ellis was a great face that was ready for a fight and would be cheered by young and old as his skill and for many years was considered the best “Cowboy” in wrestling and was always looked at as one of the best wrestlers in general when on a card. The sad part about Cowboy Bob Ellis’s long and very successful career is that you can hardly find any real in-depth history of his in-ring career and oddly enough he does not even have a Wikipedia page, and that’s shocking as far less Legendary wrestlers do. Another thing that I think keeps Bob Ellis from being as big as he should be is that while he won titles in many federations he has never captured gold in any of the bigger ones like AWA, WWF and the major NWA ones. Plus while he was a nice guy in the world of wrestling, he later got involved in some shady stuff dealing with Horse Racing and this tarnished him in some fans eyes, as he was convicted of fixing races with others to collect money in bets. While in real life he may have done something very crooked and wrong, you still cant not take away from his in-ring work as a wrestler as he really was a icon who worked his ass off to put on some very great matches for the fans. I can remember the name Cowboy Bob Ellis from the years of watch and reading about wrestling, but this will be the first time I get to watch some of his matches and that really cool as I am looking forward to it.

We are now at the point of this review where we will be taking a look at the DVD set and review some of the matches on the discs like always between 4 to 8 of them. I want to thank Coliseum Of Wrestling & Boxing for having this set in stock and also want to thank Cowboy Bob Ellis for his hard work in the world of wrestling. I also want to remind you that I will only be breaking down randomly select matches from this set and will be breaking down the match and will be rating the matches on a 5 Star rating system. I also only choose from Single matches, as I want to break down his matches that showcase his style. Here is what the stars mean ½ Means a really terrible match, * Means a bad match, ** Means a below average match, **1/2 Means a good average entertaining match, *** Means a good match, **** Means a great match, ***** Means an epic match. So if you are ready lets step into the ring with Cowboy Bob Ellis.

Best Of Cowboy Bob Ellis

Match 1: Cowboy Bob Ellis vs. Bob Geigel

From the start of the match Cowboy shows Geigel that he is here to fight and why they call him the Pride Of San Antonio Texas and he comes after him strong, but when Geigel gets a cheap shot to Cowboy’s kidney area the match quickly turns in his favor as the pair go back and fourth exchanging holds with Geigel trying to find ways to cheat as Geigel keeps going for kidney shots as well as aims for his neck with punches. But even with cheating Cowboy keeps the momentum in his favor, until Geigel knocks Cowboy out of the ring and delivers more cheap shots that just angers Cowboy who unleashes on him and once more takes full control over the match as the fans cheer him on. No matter what small attempts Geigel makes to turn the tide Cowboy cuts it off and keeps control, in the end Cowboy and Geigel fight to a time limit draw. This is a classic style match with two guys that knew how to entertain as well as work the fans into massive cheers. Geigel is a perfect chicken heel who does dirty moves, begs not to be beat up and has the fans hating him, well mostly the ladies as they love Cowboy and during the match stand at ringside to cheer him on as well as even wipe the sweat from him as he walks by! Cowboy Bob Ellis really impressed me with his old school style and I would also like to see more of Bob Geigel matches. Over all a very good match!

Grade: ***1/2

Match 2: Cowboy Bob Ellis vs. Bobby Heenan

The match starts with Cowboy Bob and Heenan fighting before the bell rings with Cowboy even wanting to bash him with a chair that the referee stops. Once in the ring, Heenan uses an object to hit Cowboy in the eyes given him a small advantage over his bigger opponent, and Heenan then keeps on attacking the eyes making Cowboy blind and swinging wildly at anything that is moving. Cowboy finally turns the momentum of the match when he rams Heenan’s crotch into the post buying him some time to try and get his site back, but Heenan cuts him off again and goes for the eyes several more times. Cowboy finally has had enough and just goes crazy on Heenan and finishes him off with a massive hit to the face, knocking him out and giving the Cowboy the three count. This match is more about the art of selling then pulling off moves as both guys do a great job with selling for each other with Heenan almost being over the top cartoonish in nature and Ellis selling that he cannot see for a bit will remind fans of how Shawn Michaels use to sell in the 90s. Cowboy is great and delivers a brawling style match, while Heenan might be the greatest Manager of all time, his wrestling in this match is not great as his punches look very weak and 98% of the match his him cheating and bumping around the ring. Over all, a very silly match that had the crowd yelling and screaming so it did its job as its clear fans live Cowboy Bob Ellis.

Grade: **1/2

Match 3: Cowboy Bob Ellis vs. Jimmy Ford

Jimmy Ford jumps Cowboy as he is getting into the ring and does not even have his entrance gear off and lands some massive hits to him in the corner. Cowboy has enough real quick and beats up Jimmy and puts him into a sleeper hold and puts him to sleep and wins the match in 27 seconds! Wow, this was a total squash match and Jimmy Ford is the biggest jobber we have ever seen in one of these reviews, as he looks like a total curtain jerker, and Cowboy Bob looks like a million dollars as he shrugs off being jumped as the bell rings and then destroys the guy attacking him. Barely a match but was entertaining if you like Cowboy Bob as you see him set a company record. Can’t give it any higher of a score and only reason I gave it two is cause it made Cowboy look good and put him in the history books for a fast win.

Grade: **

Match 4: Cowboy Bob Ellis vs. Tony Romano

The start of the match has Cowboy and Romano testing each other and not being two aggressive as they want to make sure that they do not underestimate each others skills, and at one point when the action starts to be pressed by Cowboy Romano goes on the run! But Cowboy tracks him down and takes it to Romano who is being out worked in the ring. After a small comeback from Tony Romano, Cowboy makes the comeback and places him into the sleeper hold and puts him to sleep for the win. This match is clearly Cowboy Bob facing a lower mid-carder for International Championship Wrestling and was pretty much a squash match with Tony at least being able to have some moves thrown in to not make him a total jobber. Cowboy wrestles his more brawling style in this match and is great like before, but one thing I did notice is that he does not get the big cheers like he normally does from the crowd and it makes me wonder if they were just sick of seeing him every week, or if it was just a bad crowd that night. Over all a good match that was quick and straight to the point of getting Cowboy Bob another win on TV.

Grade: **1/2

Match 5: Cowboy Bob Ellis vs. Wildman Watson

It’s the battle of Texas as these two Lone Star State wrestlers square off in the ring with them at first exchanging hits, but Cowboy Bob ends up getting the upper hand first as he out wrestles Wildman who ends up showing Cowboy that he as well as some skill, and even sneaks in some cheating moves like biting Cowboy’s hand. Once Cowboy gets a chance to collect himself he takes back over the match and once more out wrestles the Wildman by getting him in all types of holds and does so fast and flawless. Wildman gets frustrated and starts attacking Cowboy’s eyes with his fingers causing him major pain, but by cheating and making Cowboy mad becomes Wildman’s undoing as Cowboy finishes him off with the bulldog and the three count for the win. A good match that mixed hard hitting and technical styles and pitted two Texas wrestlers against each other that worked well in the ring. While it was very clear that Cowboy Bob was the more skilled of the two, Wildman did a good job of putting up a fight and looking like a threat. I also liked that Wildman would cheat every chance he could and all it ended up doing was making Cowboy mad and making Wildman’s beating worse. While this was clearly just a match that pitted a popular veteran against an enhancement talent but the work the two did made it feel bigger than that. A good match that told a story and the fans loved to cheer for Cowboy Bob as he was on that night.

Grade: ***

After watching this DVD, I can say that I am a fan of Cowboy Bob Ellis now as he was a classic career long fan favorite who was skilled in both technical moves as well as could brawl like a slugger and when on could chain his moves together and they looked smooth and flawless. It’s crazy that he never got a good run in the WWF in the 70’s as I think he could have been a big star for them and could have had some great matches against their talent. And I would say if you like old school wrestling way before the Sports Entertainment fully took over, you should go to YouTube and watch some of his matches and see if you agree that he should be in the WWE Hall Of Fame via the Legacy. Well the this update is winding down and Rotten Ink Arena is closing up for the night so before we go I should let you know that our next update will take us to The Rotten Ink Ranch as it’s time for another Wild West Roundup so that means we will be talking a classic western film released by Alpha Video as well as enjoying a big bowl of chili. The film we will be talking about is the 1943 film The Law Rides Again that stars Ken Maynard and let’s be honest keeps up the western theme we have had this month! So as we exit the doors I want to say read a comic or three, watch a wrestling match or two and as always support your local wrestlers. See you next update for some chili and classic movie talk.